Greens join call for the release of TPPA text

Green
Party Co-leaders Russel Norman and Metiria Turei today
joined other legislators from Australia, Canada, Japan,
Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand and Peru in seeking the
release of the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership
Agreement (TPPA) before it is signed.

Currently the
countries involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership
Agreement have agreed that the text for the agreement will
not be released until negotiations conclude. All documents,
other than the text, will then be held in confidence until
four years after the agreement comes into force

“The
public of New Zealand and our parliament deserve the
opportunity to scrutinise and critique the TPPA before it is
signed,” Dr Norman said today.

“So far the TPPA has
been negotiated behind closed doors with a level of secrecy
unacceptable in a democratic society.

“Parts of the
trade deal being negotiated between the European Union and
the United States will be released for public
scrutiny.

“The New Zealand public should therefore have
the same opportunity to scrutinise the TPPA and see just
what our negotiators are willing to give away.”

Recent
revelations and leaks of the TPPA have shown that New
Zealand has opposed the United States efforts to have
countries within the TPPA follow existing global
treaties.

“It is shameful that our negotiators are
seeking to weaken efforts to protect the environment,” Dr
Norman said.

“We can have little faith that these same
negotiators will be doing anything to protect New
Zealand’s environment.

“The TPPA will restrict the
ability of future governments to legislate for the good of
public health and the environment.

"The TPPA includes
investor state provisions that will allow any one of the
eleven other signatories provisions or multinational
corporations that reside in their territories to sue New
Zealand for any perceived breaches.

“Future governments
that may wish to push for tougher environmental legislation
in order to combat climate change may find themselves
hamstrung by the actions of the Key Government and unelected
officials,” said Dr Norman.

Note: The Ministers
of Trade from the twelve participating countries in
negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement
will convene in Singapore from 22 to 25 February 2014. It is
understood that the negotiations are entering their final
stages.

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